Honoring Teresa De Anda

With heavy hearts, we share news that Teresa De Anda, a founding AGUA member from Earlimart, passed away last weekend. Teresa De Anda was a longtime organizer, advocate, leader, mentor, mother, and loving friend to many in our movement, and she has been a strong community partner since the beginning of CWC. She was an incredible advocate for low-income rural communities and communities of color threatened by exposure to unsafe drinking water and pesticides. Following a major pesticide drift incident in Earlimart in 1999, when 180 residents were poisoned by the pesticide metam sodium, Teresa turned her anger into awareness and then action. In addition to serving on the Coordinating Council of AGUA, Teresa was a community organizer with Californians for Pesticide Reform and a founding member of El Comité para el Bienestar de Earlimart. She was instrumental in passing the Pesticide Drift Exposure Prevention and Response Act in 2004.

Teresa will not only be missed by advocates and allies all over - she also leaves behind seven children and a huge extended family that loved her deeply. Donations are needed to support her family during this difficult time. Individuals can send contributions via Paypal directly to Teresa's daughter, Valerie Gorospe, at gorospe.valerie@gmail.com or by mailing a check made out to Valerie Gorospe to 2206 18th Avenue, Delano, CA 93215.

Teresa was an inspiring leader in the movement for environmental justice in the San Joaquin Valley and throughout the state. We are honored to continue to lift up Teresa’s spirit, memory, and contributions to the movement.

Her memorial service will be held on Sunday, November 16th @ 10:00 a.m. at Delano High School in the auditorium with a reception to follow immediately at the school. All who would like to remember Teresa and celebrate the full life she lived are invited and welcome. Please RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/302807596592630/.